Chateau Latour 1982

Always somewhat atypical (which I suspect will be the case with the more modern day 2003), the 1982 Latour has been the most opulent, flamboyant, and precocious of the northern Medocs, especially the St.-Juliens, Pauillacs, and St.-Estephes. It hasn't changed much over the last 10-15 years, revealing sweet tannins as well as extraordinarily decadent, even extravagant levels of fruit, glycerin, and body. It is an amazing wine, and on several occasions, I have actually picked it as a right bank Pomerol because of the lushness and succulence of the cedary, blackberry, black currant fruit. This vintage has always tasted great, even in its youth, and revealed a precociousness that one does not associate with this Chateau. However, the 1982 is still evolving at a glacial pace. The concentration remains remarkable, and the wine is a full-bodied, exuberant, rich, classic Pauillac in its aromatic and flavor profiles. It's just juiced up (similar to an athlete on steroids) and is all the better for it. This remarkable effort will last as long as the 1982 Mouton, but it has always been more approachable and decadently fruity. Drink it now, in 20 years, and in 50 years! Don't miss it if you are a wine lover.

The 1982 Latour was dense, ruby/purple with incredible opulence and sweetness of fruit, beautifully ripe tannin, and a long, layered finish that went well past a minute. 1982 is a legend and a more modern-day version of the 1961.

This is an unusual Latour in the fact that it has always been precocious.It has been jammy, forward, and delicious no matter when the cork was pulled, in total contrast to its two Pauillac first-growth siblings, Mouton Rothschild and Lafite Rothschild.The dense, opaque garnet-coloured 1982 Latour reveals slight amber at the edge. Sweet, smokey, roasted aromas in the nose combine with jammy levels of black currant, cherry and prune-like fruit. It possesses extroadinary concentration and unctuosity, with a thick, fat texture oozing notes of cedar wood, tobacco, coffee, and overripe fruit. Low acidity as well as high alcohol (for Bordeaux) give the wine even more glycerin and textural chewiness. The finish lasts forever.The only Latour that remotely resembles the 1982 is the 1961, which has a similar texture and succulence. Anticipated maturity :now-2040

As I indicated in the review of the 1982 Bordeaux, this is an unusual Latour in the fact that it has always been precocious. It has been jammy, forward, and delicious no matter when the cork was pulled, in total contrast to its two first-growth siblings, Mouton Rothschild and Lafite-Rothschild. The dense, opaque garnet-colored 1982 Latour reveals slight amber at the edge. Sweet, smoky, roasted aromas in the nose combine with jammy levels of black currant, cherry, and prune-like fruit. It possesses extraordinary concentration and unctuosity, with a thick, fat texture oozing notes of cedar wood, tobacco, coffee, and over-ripe fruit. Low acidity as well as high alcohol (for Bordeaux) give the wine even more glycerin and textural chewiness. The finish lasts forever. The only Latour that remotely resembles the 1982 is the 1961, which has a similar texture and succulence. Anticipated maturity: now-2040

For the last 3 or 4 years, the 1982 Latour has begun to look like a clone of the magnificently opulent 1961. The 1982 continues to surge in quality, moving from strength to strength. If I were going to pull the cork for pure pleasure on any of the Big 8 (5 first growths plus Ausone,Cheval Blanc, and Petrus), it would be on this wine. Still an infant in terms of development, the wine displays extraordinary richness, ripeness, and the beginning of that compelling Latour perfume of cassis, cedar, walnuts, and minerals. Extremely full bodied, concentrated, and thick, this viscous, chewy, large-scaled wine is also amazingly soft. Huge levls of tannin are concealed beyond the layers of fruit. More and more, I am convinced that thisis another unqualified legend of the vintage. If readers only have 1 or 2 bottles stashed away, I suggest waiting until 2002-2003 before doing the deed. Save the other until2020. This could be a 50-60 year wine

You can say whatever you like about the quality of the First Growth 1982s, but if there is one common theme that comes up again and again is that if you are lucky enough to compare them side-by-side, there is one that reigns over them all. Chateau Latour. Here it retains that amazing bouquet that stops you in your tracks: black fruit, graphite, crushed stone and a touch of smoke, all with breathtaking precision. The palate is medium-bodied with a symmetry and focus that leaves the others behind (Lafite coming the closest here.) There is a confidence to this wine, not so much a swagger but an effortless quality that leaves no questions unanswered.

Open earthy, round leather and truffle aromas with soft red fruits, cherry and strawberry, sous bois and mushroom, damp earth, very good long complex, soft and elegant. Slightly disappointing length. Drink 2002-2025Date tasted 7th July 09